Camanche, Iowa Considers Breed-Specific Ordinance

“The Camanche City Council decided to table approving the first consideration of an ordinance regulating the existence of pit bulls within city limits until a full council could be present for the discussion.

Several Camanche residents attended the council meeting Tuesday night to express their opinion of the proposed pit bull ban. Rob Harding said that he has lived in Camanche for eight years and had never noticed a problem with pit bulls within the city. Mayor Jim Robertson said the question is whether the city wants to be proactive or reactive to a dog attack. Harding stated that his pit bull is an indoor dog and although the media primarily reports incidents involving pit bulls, thereby giving the animals a “bad name,” a dog attack could come from any breed.

Robertson said the pit bull ordinance was being considered because of the amount of damage the breed can do with its substantial pound-per-square-inch bite capacity. He read a list of dog breeds that are considered potentially dangerous by insurance companies and noted that a lot of insurance companies will not issue homeowners insurance to property owners owning those breeds. Robertson said that by adopting a prohibitive and regulatory ordinance, the city of Camanche would not be that different from many other cities passing similar ordinances in an effort to be proactive on the issue.”

Please politely inform the mayor and the Camanche City Council that the excessive pound-per-square-inch bite pressures myth has long been debunked as has the “pit bull” locking-jaw myth. Please also tell them that breed-specific ordinances are ineffective and unenforceable: